Meon Valley blue hen set to keep family name in lights

This weekend marks 30 years since Sir Michael Stoute sent out Colorspin to secure Group 1 glory in the Irish Oaks on the way to being crowned the third top rated filly in Ireland, but it is in the breeding shed that the daughter of High Top has left a lasting impression.

Colorspin is out of Reprocolor, one of Meon Valley Stud's foundation mares when she was purchased by the breeding operation for 25,000gns at 1977 Tattersalls December Mares Sale.

The daughter of 1969 Sussex Stakes hero Jimmy Reppin recorded black-type victories in the Lancashire Oaks, Lingfield Oaks Trial and Pretty Polly Stakes before retiring to the Hampshire stud, where she excelled prior to her death in 2008 aged 32.

Colorspin was one of nine winners the leading mare produced and is a half-sister to Irish Champion Stakes hero Cezanne and the then-Group 2 Prix de l'Opera heroine Bella Colora, herself a significant broodmare having produced Group winners Stagecraft and Mullins Bay and being an ancestress of Australian Group 1 winner Pasadena Girl and the European Classic runners-up France, Havane Smoker and Shirocco Star.

Other notable descendants of Reprocolor include 2008 Criterium International winner Zafisio and 2011 Fillies' Mile heroine Lyric Of Light.

Colorspin herself died of a heart attack in 2012 at the age of 29 but not before creating an equally, if not more significant impact upon the breed as her illustrious dam.

From her maiden mating with Sadler's Wells in 1987 she produced Opera House, who was crowned champion European older horse in 1993 after achieving top-level successes in the Coronation Cup, Coral Eclipse and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The colt, who died in April aged 28, stood at Shizunai Stallion Station in Japan for 19 seasons from where he sired T M Opera, the seven-time Grade 1 winner and formerly the highest earning racehorse in the world, as well as the four-time Grade 1 scorer Meisho Opera.

In 1994 Colorspin foaled a brother to Opera House in Kayf Tara who would go on to surpass the achievements of his six-years-older sibling, both on the racecourse and at stud.

Offered by Meon Valley Stud at the 1995 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, the colt was purchased by Darley for 210,000gns and under the care of Saeed Bin Suroor went on to secure four victories at the highest level with two Ascot Gold Cup crowns and successive runnings of the Irish St Leger.

Retired to Overbury Stud in 2001 at a fee £3,000, Kayf Tara has established himself as likely the best jumps stallion to stand in Britain in modern times.

The 2015-16 jumps season in particular was a sensational one for the 22-year-old, being crowned leading Cheltenham Festival sire following the victories of Ballyandy, Blaklion and all-conquering hurdler Thistlecrack. To top things off, Kayf Tara was honoured with two awards at the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Awards this month.

The third of Colorspin's offspring to win at the highest level, Zee Zee Top, looks the mare most likely to follow in the footsteps of her illustrious dam.

The winner of the 2003 Prix de l'Opera, Zee Zee Top has only been represented by three runners to date but all three have won, most notably the Pretty Polly Stakes victress Izzi Top, a daughter of Pivotal, and last season's Group 2 Prix de la Nonette winner and Prix de l'Opera runner-up Jazzi Top, by Danehill Dancer.

Mark Weinfeld, owner of Meon Valley Stud says: "Zee Zee Top has done very well for us so far producing Izzi Top and Jazzi Top. Also in training is a two-year-old Frankel half-sister to those two named Fizzi Top who is very nice but will take a bit of time. The mare also has a really lovely Invincible Spirit filly foal at foot."

As befits a mare of the highest order, Izzi Top has been covered by some of the best stallions in the business. Her first foal, the two-year-old colt Dreamfield, is by Oasis Dream and her next two foals - both colts - are by Dansili and Dubawi.

Though Jazzi Top is currently recovering from injury with plans for a racecourse return to be determined, her achievements on the track have ensured that she will also be given the best opportunity to continue the line of broodmares descending from the Colorspin line.

Another couple of mares out of Colorspin that Weinfeld rates highly are Galaxy Highflyer, an unraced 12-year-old daughter of Galileo and the unraced Fantastic Light mare Colorado Dawn.

Weinfeld explains: "Galaxy Highflyer has produced the Beresford Stakes and dual Group 3 runner-up Oklahoma City and Colorado Dawn foaled a lovely Oasis Dream colt last year who will be consigned at Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale."

Other notable offspring of Colorspin include her second foal by Lomond, the Group 3 Brigadier Gerard Stakes runner-up and Group 2-placed Highland Dress, and the once-raced Barathea mare Spinning The Yarn, dam of 2003 Moyglare Stakes heroine Necklace.

The great mare continues to exert an influence as she has also produced the dams of Group winners Good Old Boy Lukey and Grendisar as well as the dams of the stakes-placed Oakley Girl and Truth Or Dare.

With plenty of superbly bred youngstock and mares descending from one of the best families in the stud book, Colorspin should remain in the headlines for many years to come.